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Abstract:

An intelligent fastener having a head and an externally threaded shank
for threaded engagement with a structural member. The head has a recess
formed in the top surface for mounting an RFID tag with a memory
containing information specific to the fastener--such as fastener
identification, specified torque value and other information--an antenna
for enabling bidirectional communication with an RFID tag reader, and a
torque value sensor for determining the torque applied to the fastener by
a fastener installation tool. Once installed, the existing torque on a
collection of fasteners is measured by using an RFID tag reader to scan
the information stored in the memory of each fastener.

Claims:

1. An intelligent fastener comprising: a body member having a head
portion and an externally threaded shank portion extending from said head
portion, said head portion having a lower surface and an upper surface
and a throughbore formed therethrough;, said upper surface having a
recess formed therein; an RFID tag mounted in said recess; an antenna
mounted in said recess and coupled to said RFID tag; a sensor having a
body portion mounted in said recess and coupled to said RFID tag; said
sensor having an arm portion extending away from said sensor body portion
and terminating in an end, said arm portion being slidably received in
said throughbore and said end of said arm portion extending below said
lower surface so that said end of said arm can contact the surface of an
apertured workpiece when said fastener is inserted into the aperture.

2. The invention of claim 1 wherein said RFID tag has a memory for
storing information specific to said fastener.

3. The invention of claim 2 wherein least some of said information said
is stored in a section of said memory which is readable.

4. The invention of claim 2 wherein said information includes a unique
identification for said fastener.

5. The invention of claim 2 wherein said information includes a torque
value specified for said fastener.

6. The invention of claim 2 wherein said information includes an
installation date for said fastener.

7. The invention of claim 1 wherein said information includes a site
location at which said fastener is installed.

8. The invention of claim 1 wherein said information includes a date of
inspection for said fastener.

9. The invention of claim 1 wherein said sensor comprises a two-state
microswitch.

10. A fastener installation and inspection system, said system
comprising: a fastener having a body member with a head portion and an
externally threaded shank portion extending from said head portion, said
head portion having a lower surface and an upper surface and a
throughbore formed therethrough;, said upper surface having a recess
formed therein; an RFID tag mounted in said recess, said RFID tag having
a memory for storing information specific for said fastener; an antenna
mounted in said recess and coupled to said RFID tag; and a sensor having
a body portion mounted in said recess and coupled to said RFID tag; said
sensor having an arm portion extending away from said sensor body portion
and terminating in an end, said arm portion being slidably received in
said throughbore and said end of said arm portion extending below said
lower surface so that said end of said arm can contact the surface of an
apertured workpiece when said fastener is inserted into the aperture; and
an RFID tag reader for interrogating said RFID tag and receiving said
information from said RFID tag.

11. The combination of claim 10 wherein said information includes a
unique identification for said fastener.

12. The combination of claim 10 wherein said information includes a
torque value specified for said fastener.

13. The combination of claim 10 wherein said information includes an
installation date for said fastener.

14. The combination of claim 10 wherein said information includes a site
location at which said fastener is installed.

15. The combination of claim 10 wherein said information includes a date
of inspection for said fastener.

16. The combination of claim 10 wherein said sensor comprises a two-state
microswitch.

17. The combination of claim 10 wherein said RFID tag reader includes a
transmitter for storing information in said memory of said RFID tag.

18. The combination of claim 10 wherein said RFID tag reader includes a
transmitter for updating said information stored in said memory of said
RFID tag.

19. The combination of claim 10 further including a fastener installation
tool for driving said fastener into a threaded aperture to a specified
torque value.

20. The combination of claim 19 wherein said information includes a
torque value specified for said fastener; and wherein said fastener
installation tool includes a torque control unit coupled to said RFID tag
reader for limiting the torque applied by said fastener installation tool
to said fastener to said torque value.

Description:

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] This invention relates to threaded fasteners. More particularly,
this invention relates to industrial threaded fasteners having
intelligent properties.

[0002] Threaded fasteners have long been used to fasten together myriad
types of mechanical parts. Some examples of the different types of
mechanical parts which can be fastened together by threaded fasteners are
structural members, such as bridge girders, support beams in buildings,
and aircraft structural members. Typically, during installation each
threaded fastener is inserted into an aperture in the piece to be
captured and threaded into a designated portion of the mating piece, such
as a nut secured to, or a threaded aperture formed in, the mating piece.
In many applications, each fastener must be threadably tightened to a
specific torque amount within a narrow band of specified tolerances. The
specified tolerances are usually part of the specifications created for a
given project, and may be presented in paper form or in electronic form
(such as stored in a flash drive or other computer-readable memory) for
use with a portable computer which can be transported to the job site.
Both manual torque wrenches and power driven torque tools are typically
used to tighten the fastener to a value lying within the specified torque
range. Typically, the installer must consult the specifications in order
to determine the proper range of permissible torque values, and then
tighten the fastener. Ideally, the installer would manually create a
record of each installed fastener by site location and torque value and
submit such record to an inspector or other person or office responsible
for maintaining project data. However, this is not always done.

[0003] Many projects require that the installed fasteners be checked for
proper torque value immediately after installation, and later on a
regular basis, in order to ensure the safety of the entire structural
assembly. This inspection and check must be performed by a qualified
person (usually a trained inspector) having an authentic copy of the
original specifications, and is usually done manually by the inspector
with a torque wrench, a power driven torque tool or a torque measurement
device applied to each installed fastener. In addition, the inspector
typically conducts a visual survey to determine whether any fasteners are
missing. The results of the inspection and check must be reported to the
designated person or office which maintains the inspection records for
future reference.

[0004] Because the inspection process must be manually and visually
performed on each individual fastener, the process is very time consuming
and subject to human error--e.g., by failing to correctly apply the
proper torque specification value to one or more fasteners, failure to
accurately measure the torque on a given fastener or failure to notice
the absence of a fastener from a designated fastener site. In addition,
as noted above, a record of the initial installation of fasteners is not
always created to the detriment of those responsible for maintaining the
integrity and safety of fastened structures.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0005] The invention comprises a threaded fastener with intelligent
properties which facilitates fastener installation and follow-up
checking, and an intelligent fastener system and method which affords
hitherto unavailable advantages to the installation and follow-on
monitoring of structures fastened together using threaded fasteners.

[0006] From an individual apparatus standpoint, the invention comprises an
intelligent fastener comprising a body member having a head portion and
an externally threaded shank portion extending from the head portion; the
head portion having a lower surface and an upper surface and a
throughbore formed therethrough; the upper surface having a recess formed
therein; an RFID tag mounted in recess; an antenna mounted in the recess
and coupled to the RFID tag; a sensor having a body portion mounted in
the recess and coupled to the RFID tag; the sensor having an arm portion
extending away from the sensor body portion and terminating in an end,
the arm portion being slidably received in the throughbore and the end of
the arm portion extending below the lower surface so that the end of the
arm can contact the surface of an apertured workpiece when the fastener
is inserted into the aperture.

[0007] The RFID tag has a memory for storing information specific to the
fastener, such as a unique identification, a torque value specified for
the fastener, an installation date, a site location at which the fastener
is installed, the date of original installation, and the date of the most
recent inspection of the fastener.

[0009] From a system standpoint, the invention is a fastener installation
and inspection system, the system comprising:

[0010] a fastener having a body member with a head portion and an
externally threaded shank portion extending from the head portion, the
head portion having a lower surface and an upper surface and a
throughbore formed therethrough; the upper surface having a recess formed
therein; an RFID tag mounted in the recess, the RFID tag having a memory
for storing information specific for the fastener; an antenna mounted in
the recess and coupled to the RFID tag; and a sensor having a body
portion mounted in the recess and coupled to the RFID tag; the sensor
having an arm portion extending away from the sensor body portion and
terminating in an end, the arm portion being slidably received in the
throughbore and the end of the arm portion extending below the lower
surface so that the end of the arm can contact the surface of an
apertured workpiece when the fastener is inserted into the aperture; and

[0011] an RFID tag reader for interrogating the RFID tag and receiving the
information from the RFID tag.

[0012] The information stored in the RFID tag memory includes a unique
identification for the fastener, a torque value specified for the
fastener, the original installation date of the fastener, the site
location at which the fastener is installed, and the date of the last
inspection of the fastener. The information stored in the RFID tag memory
can be updated when appropriate using the RFID tag reader to transmit the
updated information to the RFID tag.

[0013] The sensor preferably comprises a two-state microswitch for sensing
the torque state of the fastener.

[0014] The system further includes a fastener installation tool for
driving the fastener into a threaded aperture to a specified torque
value. For this purpose, the fastener installation tool includes a torque
control unit coupled to the RFID tag reader for limiting the torque
applied by the fastener installation tool to the fastener to the torque
value.

[0015] Fasteners fabricated according to the invention provide several
advantages over known threaded fasteners. Firstly, initial installation
of a fastener to the correct torque specification is greatly facilitated
by providing the correct torque information in the fastener RFID tag in a
form which can be extracted by the installation tool when the installer
is prepared to install the fastener. In addition, the fastener can be
automatically driven to the proper torque value by the installation tool,
and the torque value can be checked immediately after the fastener is
installed to ensure that the fastener is correctly installed. Moreover,
the integrity of the installation of a collection of fasteners can be
quickly checked at any time using a scanning inspection technique, and
any needed corrective action can be taken using the installation tool.
Further, the scanning inspection technique avoids the need to manually
check the current value of each installed fastener, which substantially
reduces the time required for the inspection process to be conducted.
Also, the provision of the fastener identification, type, specified
torque value, site location, installation date and inspection date
information in the fastener in a form readable by the associated tag
reader enables a complete history of the fastener installation project to
be compiled and saved in a host computer for future maintenance purposes.
Lastly, the above advantages are all afforded at relatively low
additional cost per fastener.

[0016] For a fuller understanding of the nature and advantages of the
invention, reference should be made to the ensuing detailed description
taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017]FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a preferred embodiment of a
threaded fastener with intelligent properties and incorporating the
invention;

[0018] FIG. 2 is a top plan view of the fastener of FIG. 1 showing the
orientation of the intelligent components;

[0019] FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating the intelligent
components of the fastener of FIG. 1;

[0020]FIG. 4 is a side elevational view partially in section of the
fastener of FIG. 1 with the threaded shaft inserted through an aperture
in a captured structural member and the threaded shaft threaded onto a
mating threaded portion of another structural member;

[0021]FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a power operated fastener
installation tool for use in the installation and torque adjustment of
fasteners;

[0022]FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the initial installation
process for the fastener of FIG. 1; and

[0023] FIG. 7 is a schematic view illustrating a plurality of installed
fasteners and the scanning inspection process.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0024] Turning now to the drawings, FIGS. 1 and 2 illustrate a single
fastener according to the invention. As seen in these Figs., a fastener
generally designated with reference numeral 10 has a head 12 and a
threaded shank 13 terminating in a free end 14. Fastener head 12 has a
central recess defined by a recessed upper surface 15 and a boundary wall
16 of sufficient depth and boundary dimensions to accommodate an RFID
chip 17, an antenna 18 and an upper body portion 19 of a microswitch 20.
Elements 17, 18, and 19 are all carried by recessed upper surface 15 of
head 12. The remaining portion of microswitch 20 comprises a switch
activating arm 22 which extends downwardly through a throughbore 23
formed in head 12 and terminates in a free end 24. The free end 24 of
switch activating arm 22 terminates at a predetermined level below a
lower surface 25 (shown in FIG. 4) of head 12 for a purpose described
below. The relative diameter dimensions of throughbore 23 and switch
activating arm 22 are chosen to enable switch activating arm 22 to
slidably reciprocate within throughbore 23.

[0025] With reference to FIG. 3, the components providing the intelligent
properties for fastener 10 include microswitch 20, RFID chip 17, and
antenna 18. RFID chip 17 is a conventional RFID chip commonly referred to
in the art as an RFID tag, preferably an Atmel type ATA5570 integrated
circuit available from Atmel Corporation of San Jose, Calif., which
incorporates the normal components necessary to enable bidirectional
communication between the RFID integrated circuit 17 and an associated
RFID tag reader via antenna 18. RFID chip 17 further includes a
read/write memory section for storing and allowing the retrieval of
certain information pertaining to fastener 10 in response to
interrogation by the associated RFID tag reader. The types of information
are described more fully below. In addition, RFID chip 17 incorporates
the necessary power transfer circuit components to provide electrical
power to the integrated circuit components from electro-magnetic
interrogation signals received from the associated RFID tag reader via
antenna 18. Antenna 18 is a conventional RF antenna designed for use with
an RFID tag, such as a Coilcraft type 4312 RV series transponder coil.
Since such components are well known, they are not further described in
detail to avoid prolixity.

[0026] Microswitch 20 has two conductors 26, 27 (shown in FIGS. 2 and 3)
coupled to a data input of RFID chip 17. This enables RFID chip to
monitor the binary status of microswitch 20--i.e., either closed or open.
In the preferred embodiment, microswitch 20 functions as a binary torque
value sensor for sensing whether a fastener 10 has been tightened to the
correct torque value.

[0027]FIG. 4 illustrates a fastener incorporating the invention partially
installed in two structural members. In this Fig., elements 17, 18 and 20
are illustrated in phantom. As seen in this Fig., the threaded shaft 13
is shown as inserted through an aperture 31 in a first structural member
30 to be captured; and the threaded shaft 13 is also threaded into a
threaded portion 33 of another structural member 34. For a structural
member 34 having sufficient thickness, threaded portion 33 of structural
member 34 may comprise a threaded aperture formed in the structural
member 34 as shown; alternatively, threaded portion 33 may comprise a
discrete threaded nut permanently secured (e.g., by welding) to the
reverse surface of structural member 34. In either case, the purpose of
threaded portion 33 is to provide a clamping force of proper magnitude
between first structural member 30 and additional structural member 34
when fastener 10 is driven fully home.

[0028] As noted above, fastener 10 must be tightened to a torque value
typically lying within a narrow range established by the project
specifications. This state of fastener 10 is signified by a change of
status of microswitch 20 (either closed or open depending on the circuit
parameters) when the free end 24 of arm 22 of microswitch 20 engages the
upper surface 35 of structural member 30 and is driven upward in FIG. 4
to a calibrated position. This change of state can be detected by RFID
chip 17 and stored in memory for later use. After installation of
fastener 10, the value of the fastener torque can be checked by
interrogating RFID tag 17 with the associated RFID tag reader. If the
torque has dropped below the lower limit established by the
specifications, the axial position of microswitch arm 22 will have
changed sufficiently so that the status of microswitch 20 will have
reverted to the out-of-torque range state. This change of switch status
can be detected by RFID tag 17, stored in memory, and transmitted to the
associated RFID tag reader upon interrogation.

[0029]FIG. 5 is a schematic view of a power operated fastener
installation tool designated with reference numeral 40 for use in the
initial installation of fasteners 10 and later adjustment of fasteners 10
to the proper torque. As seen in this Fig. the tool 40 preferably
includes a real time clock 41 for providing real time installation
information, an RFID tag reader 42 for reading information from the RFID
tag 17 of a fastener to be installed, a power driver unit 43 for
providing a driving force to a driver bit 44 used to tighten a fastener
10, and a torque control unit 45 for controlling the power driver unit 43
in such a manner that the fastener 10 is tightened to the specified
torque value. Installation tool 40 has a power input and data
communication conductors for enabling connection to a host computer 47
and a portable computer 48. Real time clock 41 is a conventional circuit
for providing real time information. RFID tag reader 42 is a conventional
device capable of generating interrogation signals for specific RFID tags
and receiving and processing information received from a responding RFID
tag 17. Power driver unit 43 is a conventional electromechanical device
used to provide a rotational driving force to driver bit 44. Driver bit
44 is a conventional drive bit having a configuration compatible with the
shape of head 12 of fastener 10 (e.g., hex head). Torque control unit 45
is a conventional unit capable of controlling the maximum amount of
torque generated by power driver unit 43.

[0030]FIG. 6 is a block diagram illustrating the use of tool 40 in
installing and adjusting the torque setting of fastener 10. As seen in
this Fig., RFID tag reader 42 is placed in the vicinity of and within the
reception range of fastener 10. RFID tag reader 42 is then operated to
generate an interrogation signal directed to fastener 10. Upon receipt of
the interrogation signal, RFID tag 17 of fastener 10 responds by
transmitting the requested information to RFID tag reader 42. RFID tag
reader 42 then examines the received information, which will include the
unique identification of the fastener 10 and the desired torque value for
that fastener 10. RFID tag reader 42 next supplies the desired torque
value to torque control unit 45. When the torque value is received,
torque control unit 45 uses this torque value to control the operation of
power driver unit 43. Driver bit 44 is maneuvered onto head 12 of
fastener 10 and power driver unit 43 is activated. As driver bit 44 is
rotated by power driver unit 43, fastener 10 is driven into the threaded
aperture 33 of structural member 34 (FIG. 4) drawing the structural
members 30, 34 together until torque control unit 45 senses that the
torque exerted on fastener 10 has reached the specified value. Operation
of the power driver unit 43 is then terminated by the torque control unit
45. RFID tag reader 42 then interrogates RFID tag 17 of fastener 10 and
transmits the installation date information from real time clock 41 to
RFID tag 17, which stores this information in memory.

[0031] After initial installation, the actual torque value of the
now-installed fastener 10 can be checked by operating RFID tag reader 42
to interrogate RFID tag 17 of fastener 10. When a response is received by
RFID tag reader 42, the received information will include the unique
identification of the fastener 10, the desired torque value for that
fastener, and the state of microswitch 20. If the state of microswitch 20
indicates that the torque value is not correct, the initial installation
process can be repeated until the torque value is correct. If the initial
installation process fails after one or more attempts, the installer may
take elective action to determine the cause of the failure, such as
examining the fastener and replacing it if found to be defective,
examining the threaded aperture 33 of structural member 34 and
determining whether it is damaged.

[0032] After the installation process has been successfully concluded, the
information received by RFID tag reader 42 from RFID tag 17 of the
now-installed fastener 10 may be transmitted to host computer 47 for
further processing and/or storage for later retrieval. This information
will normally include the unique identification of the fastener 10, the
desired torque value, whether the torque value of the fastener is within
the specification value, the installation date and (optionally) time of
day and the site location of the fastener. At any stage of the
installation process, the information received by RFID tag reader 42 may
be transmitted to host computer 47 for further processing and/or storage
for later retrieval. Similarly, host computer 47 may send data and
instructions to RFID tag reader 42 to update the data in RFID tag 17,
perform certain data retrieval operations from RFID tag 17, or take other
action such as scanning a collection of RFID tags 17 located in different
fasteners 10.

[0033] Once a collection of fasteners 10 has been successfully installed,
the integrity of the installation can be quickly checked at any time
using the scanning inspection technique illustrated in FIG. 7. Normally,
this scanning inspection process will be carried out by an inspector
having more specialized training than a fastener installer. Also, the
first scanning inspection will normally be conducted shortly after the
entire installation is completed or the installation of a predetermined
set of fasteners has been completed.

[0034] FIG. 7 illustrates an array of twelve fasteners 10aa, 10ab, . . . ,
10cd each installed at a different location along a structural panel 30.
A portable RFID tag reader 50 having the capability of interrogating the
individual RFID tags 17 carried by the individual fasteners 10aa, 10ab, .
. . , 10cd is manually scanned in the desired direction (left-to-right in
FIG. 7) across the array. Preferably, RFID tag reader 50 has an antenna
defining a transmission/reception area which encompasses a plurality of
fasteners 10aa, 10ab, . . . , 10cd so that several (three in the FIG. 7
embodiment) fasteners may be scanned at the same time. Each responding
fastener 10aa, 10ab, . . . , 10cd supplies the requested information to
RFID tag reader 50, and this information can be displayed to the
inspector using a dedicated display incorporated into the RFID tag reader
50 or a portable computer monitor.

[0035] The requested information will normally include the unique
identification for each fastener responding to the interrogation signals
generated by RFID tag reader 50, the physical location of each responding
fastener on panel 30, the status of the torque microswitch 20, and the
original installation date. If no response is received to an
interrogation of a given fastener 10aa, 10ab, . . . , 10cd, this may
signify that a fastener is currently missing or that the intelligent
circuit components are inoperative. Either condition can be fixed at once
or at a later scheduled date by simply replacing the missing or
inoperative fastener 10aa, 10ab, . . . , 10cd. If the information
received from a responding fastener 10aa, 10ab, . . . , 10cd indicates
that the torque is out of specification value, the inspector can use the
installation tool 40 described above with reference to FIG. 5 to attempt
to correct this problem. All information received by RFID tag reader 50
can be shared with host computer 47 and used for maintenance, history and
any other appropriate purposes. RFID tag reader 50 also transmits the
inspection date and site location to each successfully interrogated RFID
tag 17, which stores this information in memory.

[0036] The basic type of information which can be stored in RFID tag 17 in
a fastener 10 includes the identification of the particular fastener,
which may be a serial number in a series of numbers or a combination of
distinct characters in a collection of characters; the type designation
of the fastener; the specified torque value for the fastener; the
installation location of the fastener; the original installation date;
and the date of the most recent inspection. As will be apparent to those
of ordinary skill in the art, other types of information may be also be
stored in RFID tag 17 depending on the requirements of a given
application.

[0037] It is noted that there are three possible states of the microswitch
20 in each fastener 10. The state "1" may signify that the fastener
torque is within the specification value, while the state "0" may signify
that the fastener torque is not within the specification value. If no
value for the microswitch is received by RFID reader 50 during an
interrogation, this can be interpreted as a missing fastener 10, which
can be verified by visual inspection, or an inoperative microswitch, in
which case a new fastener 10 can be installed as a replacement.

[0038] As will now be apparent, threaded fasteners with intelligent
components incorporating the invention as described above afford several
advantages over known threaded fasteners. Firstly, initial installation
of a fastener to the correct torque specification is greatly facilitated
by providing the correct torque information in the fastener RFID tag in a
form which can be extracted by the installation tool when the installer
is prepared to install the fastener. In addition, the fastener can be
automatically driven to the proper torque value by the installation tool,
and the torque value can be checked immediately after the fastener is
installed to ensure that the fastener is correctly installed. Moreover,
the integrity of the installation of a collection of fasteners can be
quickly checked at any time using the scanning inspection technique, and
any needed corrective action can be taken using the installation tool.
Further, the scanning inspection technique avoids the need to manually
check the current value of each installed fastener, which substantially
reduces the time required for the inspection process to be conducted.
Also, the provision of the fastener identification, type, specified
torque value, site location, installation date and inspection date
information in the fastener in a form readable by the associated tag
reader enables a complete history of the fastener installation project to
be compiled and saved in a host computer for future maintenance purposes.
Lastly, the above advantages are all afforded at relatively low
additional cost per fastener.

[0039] Although the above provides a full and complete disclosure of the
preferred embodiments of the invention, various modifications, alternate
constructions and equivalents will occur to those skilled in the art. For
example, while the invention has been described with reference to a
specific RFID tag 17, other RFID tags may be used according to the
demands of a particular application. In addition, while the torque value
sensor has been described as a simple microswitch having two operative
states--i.e., a binary device, if desired other types of torque sensors
may be employed which provide variable value measurements such as
variable resistance or variable capacitance. Such sensors may be
incorporated into fastener 10 using complementary variable signal
processing techniques, such as the signal processing technique described
in U.S. Patent Application Publication number US 2007/0222583 A1, the
disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference. Therefore, the
above should not be construed as limiting the invention, which is defined
by the appended claims.